Center for Teaching and Learning Newsletter

UxrveRsITY
Director:
Julia Upton, RSM
ADVISORY BOARI)
Fredericka Bell-Berti
Larry Boone
Julie Cunningham
Rita Dunn
Maura Flannery
Jacquelyn Joseph-Silverstein
Frank LeVeness
Matilda Luongo
Pauline Magee-Egan
Louise McKenzie
Jeffery Olson
Alice Powsrs
William Sanders
Jeftey Sovern
Robert Stanton
Rdph Stephani
Catherine Thornton
Carolyn Vigorito
Kathleen Williams
sT. I0HN',S
UNIVERSITY
Sr. JoHN's .ruFr^ Vol.3 No. 5 March 1997
Center fo, Teacfting nn{ Learning
Up, Up,tnn Aw,qv!
In keeping with the University's goal to expand the global aspects of the institution,
Father Harrington, Dr. Bonaparte, the Academic Deans, and the Center for Teaching
and Learning will sponsor ten faculty members' participation in tvvo International
Faculty Development Seminars, organized by the Council on International
Educational Exchange (CIEE).
Selected to travel to South Africa to participate in the seminar The Dynamics of the
Nent Soath Africa, hosted by the University of the Westem Cape, Cape Town and
Pretoria, South A&ica, from June &18, 1997 are:
Anthony Gabb, Associate Professor of Economics in St. Vincent's College,
who will use his orperience dttre seminarto enhance his teaching and reseaxch
in transition economies;
Oscar Holt III, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Law in St.
Vincent's College, whose current research and teaching interests lie in the
area of comparative criminal justice;
Azedine Layachi, Associate Professor of Politics in Notre Dame College,
who teaches several courses dealing with issues of development and
comparative government;
Jay Nathan, Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business
Administration, who plans to write a monqgraph on international management
focusing on South Africa;
Anthony Woods, Assistant Professor of History in St. John's College, who
will use his experie,nce in the seminar to introduce new material into the.courses
he teaches on African history and to enrich his research on Malawi, a small
southern African nation with historically close ties to South Africa.
In the event that one of the above is unable to participate in the seminar, the Selection
Committee chose Frank LeVeness, Professor of Government and Politics in St. Jolm's
College, to serye as an alternate.
Traveling to China from June 8-16,199l to participate in the seminar Sustaining
the Massa: Environmentalhotection and Econortc Developmmt in China, hosted
by Nanling University and the Jiangsu Bureau of Environmental Protection will be:
Page I
DATES
TO NOTE:
Monday, March 3lrl997
Summer Growth Grants
Applications due to the Center
for Teaching and Learning,
Bent Hall 281.
Wednesdayn April 9, 1997
Fr. Dennis Holtschneider, C.M.
"Teaching and the Case Study
Method"
BentHall277 NB
2:30-5:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10, 1997
Dr. Judy Krauss
"Active Learning Workshop"
Bent Hall 2778
ll:00 a.m.-I2:30 p.m.
Friday, April 11, 1997
Dr. Stephen A. Schrum
"Technology and Teaching"
Spellman Hall - SI
l:25-3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16, 1997
Research Symposium
Council Hall
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 17, 1997
Dave Masur
"Teacher as Coach"
Bent Hall277A
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Uma Balakrishnan, Assistant Professor of Government and Politics in St.
John's College, whose research interests have focused on international
regimes and global warming;
Lez Edmond, Associate Professor ofHistory in St. Vincent's College, who
plans to balance his study and teaching of Western Civilization with an
appreciation of Eastern civilization and culture;
Mark Meng, lnstructor in the University Library with responsibility for
collecting materials for Asian Studies, who will use this oppornrnity to
compile one comprehensive bibliography on the study of Chinese economic
development in relationto concents for environmental protection since 1989,
with special focus on the economics and environmental impact of the ' construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtzu River;
Alice Powers, Associate Professor of Psychology in St. John's College,
whose research on the behavior of turtles will be complemented by the
environmental concenu relative to the preservation of endangered species;
Thomas Thomas, Associate Professor of Transportation and Logistics in
Notre Dame College, whose area of specialization is the planning of
transportation ffiastructure and who reoently organized and presented a
series of seminars to a delegation of governmental officials from China.
In the event tbat one ofthe above is unable to participate in the seminar, the Selection
Comminee chose Young Back Choi, Associate Professor of Emnomics in the College
of Business Administration, to serve as an alternate.
Each of the professors selected indicated a willingness to share what they learn
during these seminars both formally and informally with faculty colle4gues. We
look forward to hearing from them in the Fall.
Tnn BnqrrruDEs oF TEACHTNG Fnsr Ynqn SrunrNrs
By Joann Heaney-Hunter
ln his work with first year students over the last twenty years, John Gardner from
the University of South Carolina has made the case that what makes a student's
transition from high school to college easier is the involvement of many people. In
particular, he cites the important role of the faculty member in helping the average
college student to make the transition from high school to college.
THE ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE PROGRAM
Implementing an idea proposed by Bob Finkel of the Physics departrnent, a college
committee developed a first year experience model for St. John's College that
combines the content of an academic course with a "freshman shell" -- skills and
orientation pieces linked to course content. The first year experience sections of a
course meet four hours per week instead of three, and the professor covers skills
and orientation pieces as well as course content. With this model, we believe that
a:a:o a.a t l a,a a o a t a a o a a a
3 fn* ne-wsletter is published 3
! by The Center for,Teaching I
o and Learning x1861. .
! Eaitort t I Dn Julia Uoton.'a RSM o .l Deskto$ Publishins; ,,, o
I Yendi Daniels :
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Page2
we coUld give the students a concrete connection between
an academic subject and crucial elements for success in
college, including library skills, critical thinking skills,
study skills, supportive academic advisement,
acquaintance with the various offrces and services on
campus. The shell can be adapted to almost any subject
as long as the professor emphasizes each of the c'ore
components of the process.
THE BEATITUDES OF THE FIRST YEAR
EXPERIENCE
Based on my experience with piloting this model, I propose
these "beatitudes"
1. Blessed are the first year studentsn for they are the
future of the University.
Our students are at the heart of the University. We face
the challenge to educate first year students and help prepare
them as leaders of the new millennium.
2. Blessed are those who teach first year students, for
they will be rewarded in heaven.
Teaching first year students can be challenging.
. When students don't know that they have to buy their
books (school districts have always provided them), when
they cant find a parking space and want to know if they
can get a reserved spot next week, when they say they
want to transfer after a week because they dont know a
soul on campus and they have no one to sit with in the
cafeteria -- a first year experience can help them get
information and make connections.
. When some first year students think that the mission of
the University is to win the NCAA and that Mncent de
Paul is a French music group, a first year experience can
help communicate who we are as an institution.
3. Blessed are those who reinforce study skills, for the
payoff at the end of the semester will be great.
In our model of the first year experience, study skills are
heavily emphasized, It is my experience that sometimes
the brightest students are the ones who need the
organizational help the most -- they're the one who have
been getting by on native intelligence for a long time.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for quality
term papers in the first semester, for they lay the
groundwork for all future University work
For me, one ofthe most challenging tasks of the first year
course is teaching term paper skills. While I know that
this is part ofthe content of English composition courses,
I believe that teaching research and writing across the
curriculum is part of our basic responsibility in first year
courses. Given our technological environment, students
havethe potential to research many subjects onthe Internet,
to access library data through on-line systems, to determine
the location of books and articles with a keystroke of a
computer.
A demonstration of computer proficiency is also essential
for term paper writing in today's academic environment.
5. Blessed are those who encourage various learning
styles, for their classes will be energized.
Educational research has shown that students do not all
learn in the same ways. Students may benefit from group
experiences, from experimental projects, from service
learning opportunities. In my first year course, I
encouraged the students to form study groups, and also to
work cooperatively on some oftheir assigrnnents. Sfudents
achieved two purposes: learning to work as teams and
creating bonds with other students. By respecting diverse
learning styles of students, we provide opportunities for
nrany more students to succeed.
6. Blessed are the mentors, for they shall be called the
sons and daughters ofGod.
One of the most demanding, but also the most satis$ing
elements of the first year experience is the role as mentor
to the students.
At the beglnning of every class, I asked students to voice
any concems that they were willing to share with their
classmates, and offered to be available to those who wished
to discuss concems privately. In the class seffing , students
shared many issues that had a common thread. "What do
I do when???" "How do I do this or that?" Many times
students voiced concerns about professors -- "I am in a
big class - how do I talk to my professor?" "In high school,
the teachers knew and cared about everyone -- here, it
doesn't seem that way -- what do I do?" "I got a 62 onmy
first quiz -- how do I handle it?" "How do I choose a
major?" "What? I have to stand on line to register" Even,
it takes me too long to get to St. John's, Should I transfer
out ofhere?
7. Blessed are you who teach first year experience even
if others don't understand. Be glad and rejoice! Your
rewards here and in heaven will be great!
Unless we provide assistance, many students will findtheir
way out the door to another institution. ln these days of a
Page 3
slightly declining student population, many institutions
scramble for the same students. We do not simply want to
bring students into the institution -- we want them to be
happy, to succeed, and to stay here until graduation!
Teaching the first year experience is one way that we can
accomplish that goal. While there are other ways as well -
- encouraging students to become involved in activities,
getting them connected early on with a faculty mentor,
encouraging student interaction -- the support of the first
year experience can be an element that keeps a student at
St. John's. I have experienced first hand the rewards of
students who said that the extra attention they got in the
course helped them to decide to stay at St. John's.
What about preparation? Faculty members are right --
some students are not as prepared for college as we would
like them to be. And maybe some high schools are not
doing their jobs. My response to them is that St. John's
has a unique mission - to educate and to provide
opportunities to people who may be very bright - buthave
never been given the chance to show it, or have never been
given the skills to express ttreir intelligence. ln my years
at the universiry I have seen students who might never
have had the chance to succeed, grow and excel because
St. John's gave them a chance.
For all of us at St. John's, the payoff can be great. First
year students who have been exposed to the resources of
the university, who have received intensive study, writing,
and critical thinking skills in the content of an academic
course, and who have the support of a faculty member
who has chosen to participate in this process should, in the
long run, fulfill their potential at St. John's.
Teaching First Year students is not for everyone -- but it's
probably for more of us than we think. We can either give
our assignments and hope for the best, or we can try to
create an environment that supports first year students as
they negotiate that difficult first semester.
ON THE BOOKSHELF
Banta, T. W., Lund, J. P., Black, K. E., & Oblander, F. W. (1996). Assessmentin Practice. SanFrancisco, CA: Jossey-
Bass, Inc., Publishers.
Bergquist, W. H. (lgg2). The Four Cultures of theAcademy. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, Inc.
Bergquist, W. H., Greenberg, E. M. & Klaum, G. A. (1993). In Our Fifties: Voices of Men and Women Reinventing
Their. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, lnc.
Dempsey, M. H. & Tihista, R. (1996). Dear Job Stressed: Answers for the Overworked, Overwrought, and
Ouerwhelmed. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
Erwin, T. D. (1991). Assessing Student Learning and Development. I\$rcrEducation and Adult Education Series.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, lnc. Publishers.
Hammer, A. L., ed. (1996). MBTI Applications: A Decade of Research on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Palo
Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, lnc.
Hatfield, S. R., ed. ( 1 995) . The Serten hinciples in Action: Imprcving Undergraduate Education . Bolton, MA: Anker
Publishing Co., [nc.
PLACE LABEL HERE!
Page 4

Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.

UxrveRsITY
Director:
Julia Upton, RSM
ADVISORY BOARI)
Fredericka Bell-Berti
Larry Boone
Julie Cunningham
Rita Dunn
Maura Flannery
Jacquelyn Joseph-Silverstein
Frank LeVeness
Matilda Luongo
Pauline Magee-Egan
Louise McKenzie
Jeffery Olson
Alice Powsrs
William Sanders
Jeftey Sovern
Robert Stanton
Rdph Stephani
Catherine Thornton
Carolyn Vigorito
Kathleen Williams
sT. I0HN',S
UNIVERSITY
Sr. JoHN's .ruFr^ Vol.3 No. 5 March 1997
Center fo, Teacfting nn{ Learning
Up, Up,tnn Aw,qv!
In keeping with the University's goal to expand the global aspects of the institution,
Father Harrington, Dr. Bonaparte, the Academic Deans, and the Center for Teaching
and Learning will sponsor ten faculty members' participation in tvvo International
Faculty Development Seminars, organized by the Council on International
Educational Exchange (CIEE).
Selected to travel to South Africa to participate in the seminar The Dynamics of the
Nent Soath Africa, hosted by the University of the Westem Cape, Cape Town and
Pretoria, South A&ica, from June &18, 1997 are:
Anthony Gabb, Associate Professor of Economics in St. Vincent's College,
who will use his orperience dttre seminarto enhance his teaching and reseaxch
in transition economies;
Oscar Holt III, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Law in St.
Vincent's College, whose current research and teaching interests lie in the
area of comparative criminal justice;
Azedine Layachi, Associate Professor of Politics in Notre Dame College,
who teaches several courses dealing with issues of development and
comparative government;
Jay Nathan, Associate Professor of Management in the College of Business
Administration, who plans to write a monqgraph on international management
focusing on South Africa;
Anthony Woods, Assistant Professor of History in St. John's College, who
will use his experie,nce in the seminar to introduce new material into the.courses
he teaches on African history and to enrich his research on Malawi, a small
southern African nation with historically close ties to South Africa.
In the event that one of the above is unable to participate in the seminar, the Selection
Committee chose Frank LeVeness, Professor of Government and Politics in St. Jolm's
College, to serye as an alternate.
Traveling to China from June 8-16,199l to participate in the seminar Sustaining
the Massa: Environmentalhotection and Econortc Developmmt in China, hosted
by Nanling University and the Jiangsu Bureau of Environmental Protection will be:
Page I
DATES
TO NOTE:
Monday, March 3lrl997
Summer Growth Grants
Applications due to the Center
for Teaching and Learning,
Bent Hall 281.
Wednesdayn April 9, 1997
Fr. Dennis Holtschneider, C.M.
"Teaching and the Case Study
Method"
BentHall277 NB
2:30-5:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 10, 1997
Dr. Judy Krauss
"Active Learning Workshop"
Bent Hall 2778
ll:00 a.m.-I2:30 p.m.
Friday, April 11, 1997
Dr. Stephen A. Schrum
"Technology and Teaching"
Spellman Hall - SI
l:25-3:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16, 1997
Research Symposium
Council Hall
10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 17, 1997
Dave Masur
"Teacher as Coach"
Bent Hall277A
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Uma Balakrishnan, Assistant Professor of Government and Politics in St.
John's College, whose research interests have focused on international
regimes and global warming;
Lez Edmond, Associate Professor ofHistory in St. Vincent's College, who
plans to balance his study and teaching of Western Civilization with an
appreciation of Eastern civilization and culture;
Mark Meng, lnstructor in the University Library with responsibility for
collecting materials for Asian Studies, who will use this oppornrnity to
compile one comprehensive bibliography on the study of Chinese economic
development in relationto concents for environmental protection since 1989,
with special focus on the economics and environmental impact of the ' construction of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtzu River;
Alice Powers, Associate Professor of Psychology in St. John's College,
whose research on the behavior of turtles will be complemented by the
environmental concenu relative to the preservation of endangered species;
Thomas Thomas, Associate Professor of Transportation and Logistics in
Notre Dame College, whose area of specialization is the planning of
transportation ffiastructure and who reoently organized and presented a
series of seminars to a delegation of governmental officials from China.
In the event tbat one ofthe above is unable to participate in the seminar, the Selection
Comminee chose Young Back Choi, Associate Professor of Emnomics in the College
of Business Administration, to serve as an alternate.
Each of the professors selected indicated a willingness to share what they learn
during these seminars both formally and informally with faculty colle4gues. We
look forward to hearing from them in the Fall.
Tnn BnqrrruDEs oF TEACHTNG Fnsr Ynqn SrunrNrs
By Joann Heaney-Hunter
ln his work with first year students over the last twenty years, John Gardner from
the University of South Carolina has made the case that what makes a student's
transition from high school to college easier is the involvement of many people. In
particular, he cites the important role of the faculty member in helping the average
college student to make the transition from high school to college.
THE ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE PROGRAM
Implementing an idea proposed by Bob Finkel of the Physics departrnent, a college
committee developed a first year experience model for St. John's College that
combines the content of an academic course with a "freshman shell" -- skills and
orientation pieces linked to course content. The first year experience sections of a
course meet four hours per week instead of three, and the professor covers skills
and orientation pieces as well as course content. With this model, we believe that
a:a:o a.a t l a,a a o a t a a o a a a
3 fn* ne-wsletter is published 3
! by The Center for,Teaching I
o and Learning x1861. .
! Eaitort t I Dn Julia Uoton.'a RSM o .l Deskto$ Publishins; ,,, o
I Yendi Daniels :
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Page2
we coUld give the students a concrete connection between
an academic subject and crucial elements for success in
college, including library skills, critical thinking skills,
study skills, supportive academic advisement,
acquaintance with the various offrces and services on
campus. The shell can be adapted to almost any subject
as long as the professor emphasizes each of the c'ore
components of the process.
THE BEATITUDES OF THE FIRST YEAR
EXPERIENCE
Based on my experience with piloting this model, I propose
these "beatitudes"
1. Blessed are the first year studentsn for they are the
future of the University.
Our students are at the heart of the University. We face
the challenge to educate first year students and help prepare
them as leaders of the new millennium.
2. Blessed are those who teach first year students, for
they will be rewarded in heaven.
Teaching first year students can be challenging.
. When students don't know that they have to buy their
books (school districts have always provided them), when
they cant find a parking space and want to know if they
can get a reserved spot next week, when they say they
want to transfer after a week because they dont know a
soul on campus and they have no one to sit with in the
cafeteria -- a first year experience can help them get
information and make connections.
. When some first year students think that the mission of
the University is to win the NCAA and that Mncent de
Paul is a French music group, a first year experience can
help communicate who we are as an institution.
3. Blessed are those who reinforce study skills, for the
payoff at the end of the semester will be great.
In our model of the first year experience, study skills are
heavily emphasized, It is my experience that sometimes
the brightest students are the ones who need the
organizational help the most -- they're the one who have
been getting by on native intelligence for a long time.
4. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for quality
term papers in the first semester, for they lay the
groundwork for all future University work
For me, one ofthe most challenging tasks of the first year
course is teaching term paper skills. While I know that
this is part ofthe content of English composition courses,
I believe that teaching research and writing across the
curriculum is part of our basic responsibility in first year
courses. Given our technological environment, students
havethe potential to research many subjects onthe Internet,
to access library data through on-line systems, to determine
the location of books and articles with a keystroke of a
computer.
A demonstration of computer proficiency is also essential
for term paper writing in today's academic environment.
5. Blessed are those who encourage various learning
styles, for their classes will be energized.
Educational research has shown that students do not all
learn in the same ways. Students may benefit from group
experiences, from experimental projects, from service
learning opportunities. In my first year course, I
encouraged the students to form study groups, and also to
work cooperatively on some oftheir assigrnnents. Sfudents
achieved two purposes: learning to work as teams and
creating bonds with other students. By respecting diverse
learning styles of students, we provide opportunities for
nrany more students to succeed.
6. Blessed are the mentors, for they shall be called the
sons and daughters ofGod.
One of the most demanding, but also the most satis$ing
elements of the first year experience is the role as mentor
to the students.
At the beglnning of every class, I asked students to voice
any concems that they were willing to share with their
classmates, and offered to be available to those who wished
to discuss concems privately. In the class seffing , students
shared many issues that had a common thread. "What do
I do when???" "How do I do this or that?" Many times
students voiced concerns about professors -- "I am in a
big class - how do I talk to my professor?" "In high school,
the teachers knew and cared about everyone -- here, it
doesn't seem that way -- what do I do?" "I got a 62 onmy
first quiz -- how do I handle it?" "How do I choose a
major?" "What? I have to stand on line to register" Even,
it takes me too long to get to St. John's, Should I transfer
out ofhere?
7. Blessed are you who teach first year experience even
if others don't understand. Be glad and rejoice! Your
rewards here and in heaven will be great!
Unless we provide assistance, many students will findtheir
way out the door to another institution. ln these days of a
Page 3
slightly declining student population, many institutions
scramble for the same students. We do not simply want to
bring students into the institution -- we want them to be
happy, to succeed, and to stay here until graduation!
Teaching the first year experience is one way that we can
accomplish that goal. While there are other ways as well -
- encouraging students to become involved in activities,
getting them connected early on with a faculty mentor,
encouraging student interaction -- the support of the first
year experience can be an element that keeps a student at
St. John's. I have experienced first hand the rewards of
students who said that the extra attention they got in the
course helped them to decide to stay at St. John's.
What about preparation? Faculty members are right --
some students are not as prepared for college as we would
like them to be. And maybe some high schools are not
doing their jobs. My response to them is that St. John's
has a unique mission - to educate and to provide
opportunities to people who may be very bright - buthave
never been given the chance to show it, or have never been
given the skills to express ttreir intelligence. ln my years
at the universiry I have seen students who might never
have had the chance to succeed, grow and excel because
St. John's gave them a chance.
For all of us at St. John's, the payoff can be great. First
year students who have been exposed to the resources of
the university, who have received intensive study, writing,
and critical thinking skills in the content of an academic
course, and who have the support of a faculty member
who has chosen to participate in this process should, in the
long run, fulfill their potential at St. John's.
Teaching First Year students is not for everyone -- but it's
probably for more of us than we think. We can either give
our assignments and hope for the best, or we can try to
create an environment that supports first year students as
they negotiate that difficult first semester.
ON THE BOOKSHELF
Banta, T. W., Lund, J. P., Black, K. E., & Oblander, F. W. (1996). Assessmentin Practice. SanFrancisco, CA: Jossey-
Bass, Inc., Publishers.
Bergquist, W. H. (lgg2). The Four Cultures of theAcademy. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, Inc.
Bergquist, W. H., Greenberg, E. M. & Klaum, G. A. (1993). In Our Fifties: Voices of Men and Women Reinventing
Their. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers, lnc.
Dempsey, M. H. & Tihista, R. (1996). Dear Job Stressed: Answers for the Overworked, Overwrought, and
Ouerwhelmed. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.
Erwin, T. D. (1991). Assessing Student Learning and Development. I\$rcrEducation and Adult Education Series.
San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, lnc. Publishers.
Hammer, A. L., ed. (1996). MBTI Applications: A Decade of Research on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Palo
Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press, lnc.
Hatfield, S. R., ed. ( 1 995) . The Serten hinciples in Action: Imprcving Undergraduate Education . Bolton, MA: Anker
Publishing Co., [nc.
PLACE LABEL HERE!
Page 4